Power Restored To Tusayan and Grand Canyon

Above, Grand Canyon Village had its power restored early Saturday morning. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The winter storm that hit New Mexico on Friday knocked out power at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the nearby town of Tusayan. Residents and visitors to those areas struggled to stay warm without power.

The good news is: power has been restored to both.

According to the Grand Canyon News:

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — A Thanksgiving holiday storm dropped more than a foot of snow at the Grand Canyon, knocking out power overnight at the South Rim and the community of Tusayan. 

The town of Tusayan declared a state of emergency as residents and tourists scrambled to stay warm without power. 

The town of Tusayan has about 2,500 residents and hundreds of tourists were visiting the park over the holiday. 

The National Park Service said in a Twitter post that APS hoped to restore electricity by 6 p.m. Friday, but power was not restored until 1:45 a.m. Saturday.

To read more, go here. 

Fire Restrictions At Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest

Above, The Beast at Trailer Village at Grand Canyon National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In many areas, particularly in the Southwest, it had been a particularly dry winter.

As this is the case, the Forest Service and the National Park Service are implementing fire restrictions in Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park. These restrictions start June 8.

According to the Grand Canyon News:

FREDONIA, Ariz. — The U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service will implement additional fire restrictions, also known as Stage II fire restrictions, across the North Kaibab Ranger District, and the South Rim, North Rim and Inner Canyon of Grand Canyon National Park beginning at 8 a.m. this Friday. Visitors should be mindful that these new fire restrictions will limit certain activities and will remain in effect until rescinded, which typically occurs after significant and widespread moisture arrives and fire danger levels subside. 

As a reminder, the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts are already in Stage II fire restrictions and will also remain in effect until lifted.

To read more, including what Stage II fire restrictions prohibit, go here.

Camper Services Reopens At Grand Canyon's South Rim

Above, The Beast at the South Rim's Trailer Village last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that the water situation at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is easing a bit. Breaks in the Transcanyon Pipeline caused water delivery problems to the South Rim.

The Grand Canyon News reported:

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – Residents and visitors to Grand Canyon National Park continue to reduce water consumption and implement sustainable water conservation practices. These efforts have allowed the park to continue to refill water storage tanks to sustainable levels. As a result the park is modifying Level 3 water restrictions to allow Camper Services to reopen. 

Camper Services, operated by Delaware North Companies, provides showers, laundry and an RV dump and fill station and will be open for business today at 2:30 p.m. The park will continue to monitor water levels in storage tanks to ensure they remain at sustainable levels and may modify water restrictions in the future to address water sustainability.

To read more, go here. 

Grand Canyon's Desert View Watchtower May Be Converted To Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site

Above, the Desert View Watchtower at Grand Canyon National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Desert View Watchtower at Grand Canyon National Park is on the far east end of the park. Many visitors don't go that far and the tower is under-utilized (I last visited the Watchtower in 2016).

All that may change if a plan that is being talked about is implemented.

According to the Grand Canyon News:

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Located at the southeast edge of Grand Canyon National Park, the Desert View Watchtower rises high above the Colorado River — for many, it’s the first glimpse they get of the park. It’s also an area of great cultural significance, and as such, the National Park Service is planning a facelift for the area. 

Desert View Watchtower is, of course, on the National Register of Historic Places, but it’s a deceptively young building in relation to many other structures within the park. Designed by architect Mary Coulter, who had a knack for making the new look old, it was painstakingly built to resemble many Native American structures Coulter came across in her Southwestern travels. 

Hopi artist Fred Kabotie painted murals that still adorn the walls inside the tower — Coulter created the tower to serve as not just architectural eye candy, but to give visitors an experience. 

An experience that connects them to the Native people who lived on and revered the land for hundreds of years. 

It’s this experience that the National Park Service (NPS), along with the Intertribal Advisory Council and the 11 traditionally-associated tribes, hopes to improve by embarking on the Desert View Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site plan. The plan calls for transforming Desert View from a traditional scenic overlook and visitor services area into an Inter-tribal Cultural Heritage Site that provides opportunities for first-voice cultural interpretation from associated American Indian Tribes —including cultural demonstrations — and enhances visitor orientation to both the cultural significance of the site and greater park, as well as information about tourism opportunities on surrounding tribal lands.

To read more, go here. 

Bill Introduced To Address $12 Billion National Park Backlog

Above, the Colorado River meanders through the Grand Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The $12 billion backlog in deferred maintenance and repairs at out national parks is being addressed by a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate.

According to Grand Canyon News:

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — As the National Park Service faces an uncertain budgetary future, two senators introduced a bi-partisan bill aimed at chiseling away the agency’s $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog. 

Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Rob Portman (R-OH) introduced the National Park Service Legacy Act March 28. The bill calls for Congress to make appropriations specifically aimed at reducing and eventually eliminating the backlog. If signed, the legislation would appropriate $50 million per year from 2018-2020; $150 million per year in 2021-2023; $250 million for 2024-2026; and $500 million per year for 2027-2047. The appropriations would be funded by revenue the government receives from oil and natural gas royalties. 

“More than 100 years after the founding of the National Park Service, our park system remains in a critical state of disrepair,” Warner said. “While we’ve heard much talk here in Washington about infrastructure spending, a great way to begin this work is by helping in the revitalization of our public lands.” 

Warner said the investment would earn about $10 in economic activity for every public dollar invested.

To read more, go here. 

Get Into Grand Canyon National Park Free February 20

Above, a view of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There's good news for those who want to visit the Grand Canyon National Park and save money at the same time.

The Grand Canyon News reported:

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park will join national park sites around the country with free entry into the park in honor of President’s Day Feb. 20.   

Visitors looking to visit Grand Canyon National Park during President’s Day and Spring Break should expect large crowds, long lines at entrance stations and shuttle bus stop areas, and full parking lots. As a reminder, Grand Canyon’s North Rim is still closed and will open May 15. Visitors traveling to the South Rim are encouraged to check weather and road conditions before traveling to the park by calling (928) 638-7496.

To read more, go here.